During the past five years, the Texas Juvenile Justice Department
relied heavily on change orders to pay for construction work that was
not within the scope of the original contracts and failed to document
the changes as required, a new audit revealed Friday.

In addition,
the internal audit found that in more than half of the files examined,
change orders that required the approval of top agency officials had
none.

The audit does not provide detail on the contracts. Officials said Friday that those details were not immediately available.

The
agency and its predecessor had more than $35.3 million in construction
projects under way or queued up during the period that the auditors
reviewed. While they reviewed only nine contracts in detail, such
samples are commonly used as an indicator of potentially larger
problems.

Robin McKeever, the agency's deputy executive director,
who was previously chief financial officer with purview over contracts,
said that eight of the nine contracts examined in the audit had change
orders — more than 30 orders, in all.

On Friday, the agency's
13-member governing board approved new policies designed to curb those
problems — the latest issue to buffet a department facing a legislative
investigation over safety and security lapses at the Giddings State
School and other lockups.

38 comments:

Anonymous
said...

So, with this and the escape article that came out in today's paper are there any resignations offered up?? NO!!!! When will hearings be conducted? Why are there any questions as to what needs to happen.

You know when you lead an agency, you are responsible for everything that occurs regardless if you made that decision or not. That's just the way it goes. There was an old saying that said something like "the higher on the flag pole you go, the more that ass is shown." But one thing is for sure, Townsend placed those decision makers that are failing her in every one of those positions. For that reason alone, she is directly responsible for their performance.

There is no guesswork here, Grits. The problems still remain because the handful of people responsible for the problems still remain. Also, it's the attitude that you can reform youth by just locking them up.

The MAIN PROBLEM that I see happening at TJJD aren't caused by just the individuals in Austin -- though there's certainly plenty of blame to go around -- as much as it is the program they are using in an attempt to rehabilitate the youth.

These incarcerated youth need to be RESOCIALIZED while they are locked up in order to lead successful lives out in The Free. This was what the previous program attempted to do. The current program is known as CoNextions, and provides little to no "re-connection" (OR resocialization) of the youth to Society. Since CoNextions, the culture at the State schools has depended on staff bribes and meaningless "thinking reports" to get the youth back on track, and no, it DOES NOT WORK -- no matter HOW LONG they are locked up.

If youth who have committed major crimes are deserving of being incarcerated, they also deserve to serve their time in a facility that's not considered by them (and staff) as a Boy Scout Camp for naughty boys as is the current situation.

Who has the courage to bring back the orange jumpsuits, re-institute marching, and otherwise enforce a zero tolerance policy for additional illegal behavior by incarcerated youth? Apparently, no one at TJJD headquarters in Austin or anyone in the Legislature... sad to say. And now that they've got (despite what was written in the paper)DANGEROUS FELONS running around on the loose in Austin or who knows where else -- NOW they're REALLY worried?

Be sure to lock your doors at night, y'all. They may be coming after YOU!

Let's not forget the budget cuts that TYC/TJJD have experienced since merging. That has a huge impact on services/staffing offered at Giddings and at all of the facilities. It ties hands. True in that Ms. Townsend is ultimately responsible, but Whitmire has had this "priapsim" for TYC/TJJD and it's employees and is a continual antagonist in everything they do.

Look I agree with Grits a little on the off with thier heads comment. But, first you really do need to understand all that happens to a person who speaks up!

Just look at the results from a confidential conversation with Mr. Meade. This is not a new consequence for talking to "outsiders"

Now, for Ms Townsend. It may be time to lay off her a little bit.First, she did what any of us would do, try to get a better job. She got the job, if any of her ideas could have worked they needed to be implemented as some she had the keys to the front door, but she had to spend most of her time debating Whitmire over other stuff.

Staff at every facility had already been through one person after another, then the Florida brainiac and we ended up with Townsend, none of her lofty ideas where ever tought, trained or sold to the staff on the front line. Result, nothing changed!

Problems remain, different type, but problems none the less. She surrounds herself with friends who tell her what she needs to hear, more program memos and again nothing changes. Again the front line expected to use a program that feels good and souunds great on paper, unfortunatly the kids locked up really can't read.

Then the merge, TYC central office gets raises, programs still stink, one scandal after another, plus tons of stuff that is being kept quite. Everything that has been reported the last few weeks, was gooing on and no onw cared, no one reported it, no one paid attention.

And with all of this mess going on she gets the job! I'm sure late at night even she remains shocked. So now here we are, TYC admin is doing what it has always done, can you blame them, can you blame her?NO! Shes doing what got her there!

The blame for all of this now rest at the offices of Whitmire, Madden and Perry! And dont kid yourself they could start fixing this yesterday if they really cared to.

They kept a lid on this while Perry was off playing candidiate. A person in his office took care of her friend and kept everything else out of the press. Whitmire had a plan for the merge, one operationally better than the mess we have now but he let Madden have this landmark piece of legislation as his final swan song. And it was over his head from day one!

So here we sit, another TYC ED needing to leave, some of it not all her fault, and a system in total disarray. The next kid that gets bought, sold or hurt...at Madden and companies feet. The next staff sent to the hospital, at thier feet also. The community with escapees that shopuldnt have been released running around...all at the feet of the big three.

So your correct Grits, its time to stop looking at Townsend she just did what we all would do! They knew things and allowed this to get here...its all on them from now on!

Grits, Reform is exactly what is needed to right TJJD. But the current administration has failed to implement lasting reform. Every time something "bad" has happend in TYC/TJJD since the "Reformation", the same ol' song gets played. "I have implemented..., I have put measures in place to..., we have assigned a new...to manage the program. And nothing ever changes. TYC purged so many qualified juvenile corrections and treatment professionals back in 2006-2007 and has never recovered from those losses. Look at the people in thiose key positions now...the Deputy Executive Director used to be the CFO and has no experience working with kids, the person over CoNextions used to run Al Price, and if not for a hurricane, she and her assistant would have been fired, yet both are still hanging around. Anyone who tried to do the right thing to help kids has been subjected to character assassination, humiliated publically and run off, was fired or quit. Take a look at the current administration in TJJD and you'll find that it is made up of some executive's close friend, a monumental ass-kisser or someone who is sleeping with one of them. And then there's always those "appointments" to key positions where experience, education and competence are trumped by race. There will be no reform until we stop making the same mistakes over and over again. Having worked at TYC/TJJD for many years, I've seen all this and more...from Brookins, to the Pope and B-Hump, to the current regime. History does repeat itself and until there is "real" reform, there will be no change. Someone once told me, "We have met the enemy, and he (or she) is us."

"Kimbrough, currently an assistant director for homeland security at the Texas Department of Public Safety, will be on loan to the juvenile-justice agency for at least a year — but will remain “as long as necesssary,” according to officials with knowledge of the appointment.

They said all staff at the lockups will report to Kimbrough, instead of Associate Director James Smith."

Adios James Smith. If Kimbrough is coming in for a least a year and everyone will report to him, then there's no need for the Man from Maryland. That's two down now...

HR has a new HR Director that was not selected from a posting and has no experience another clone. Mary Woods on up the chain need to be fired. From my understanding no one in HR even likes her, she puts on a smile in front of outsiders and then lies to her people. Everyone I talk to in HR says she is Townsends little clone.

The employees at TJJD were praying for new a executive staff and thought this would be the time one would be appointed. When they heard they were getting the exact same people they all knew nothing was going to change. Then all the staff meetings just made everyone laugh, do you think we are stupid!! It is past time to make changes!! As far as the kids go these are not just little children that have gone astray..these are criminals. You can not hug and kiss them and change them. Sexual assaults, rape, kidnapping, slugging JCO's???? Come on now people..but now remember 'they are not considered dangerous'. I know I would not want my little girl to run into them. Stop making excuses for Townsend, we have all listened to her and watched her in meetings. Attend a few, if you can even find her now.

TJJD just needs all new Board members that are not Perry's 'Good Ol' Boys'. They need new executive staff that includes Mary Wood Robin McKeever, and James Smith. All the cuts makes you wonder why there are so many in supervisor and management positions. The only ones that have extra workload are the little people at the bottom of the chain gang.

Don't take this wrong I have nothing against Jay. But for the love God will someone step up and admit they screwed up. Townsend should be professional enough to be so embarrassed that she leave. This is crap right hear is why tax payers hate government. Townsends big check along with the same old high dollar team she kept and now we have to bring in another person to do her job . Pretty sure he's not free!

What a crappin joke ..... Rick next time you can't remember the agencies you want to shut down because of government waste remember this little B.S. thing !

I wonder what would happen if TJJD's halfway house escapees were to burlarize the homes of Whitmire, Madden,or Perry? Worse yet, what if one of their family members was murdered by one of these kids? Would their main focus still be on continuing to shrink the secure facility populations? Would they continue to cut budgets, lay off employees, spend their time monitoring contracts, pointing fingers and then try to "fix" the problems by closing more facilities? Would they continue to throw candy and pizza at the kids so they will "be good"? I think not.

Grits, I would love to put my name here, but I see what happens to people who speak up in this agency. They no longer have a job. You are a valuable employee ONLY if you learn to keep your mouth shut while the "powers that be" look the other way as youths continue to assault each other and put JCO's in the hospital. How could these politicians NOT know what's really going on? I'll tell you how: They are not trying to see it.

Yep you can google it and you can also google Townsend and she what a great director she is. Basically anyone in the media can bend and make up the story how they would like for it to read. While your googling, google "loser" I'm sure you will see your name pop up :)

GFB we love these postings so we can vent. No one else will listen. Sure Townsend was just named ED of TJJD but Giddings didn't get to where it was overnight. She was ED of TYC while all of this was going down hill. There has been ready, ready, ready, aim, misfire on so many occasions. I cannot think of any director who has survived so much scandal and now with Gov Perry's man in the mix she is even more protected cause he will fade the heat for her. Meade needs to be named chair, fire all but the chiefs and replace them with chiefs. At least they listen and understand what it takes to run facilities that operate well.

As for implimenting conections-- in 08 or 09 I e-mailed CO to get specific instructions on how to use the point sheets (410s) with examples. The last I checked there were as many interpritations as there were staff. It's been over three years and I'm still waiting on the detailed instructions for using the backbone of the coNextions program.

CoNextions is a flawed program, no matter if staff know how to implement it as designed or not. It's simply meaningless paperwork done by low level JCO's, designed to provide a smoke and mirrors coverup for lack of accountability on the part of supervisors and youth. Get real, folks in Austin, it's got to go!

The kids see it as a joke, and the staff that have to use it see it as a monumental waste of time and effort. First shift JCO 5 Dorm Supervisors routinely (and blatantly illegally) upgraded the kids' scores to make things look better the next morning after I was done working the night shift there. When myself and fellow JCO staff would complain about the flagrant falsification of official records, nothing was ever done.

So, on paper, everything was JUST FINE. On a number of occasions when I would give them less than stellar scores on my shift that WEREN'T changed by my supervisor, I'd come in the next evening to be clearly threatened by the youth not do it again... and since it apparently didn't make any difference WHAT I did, anyhow... can you blame me for caving in to what they all wanted?

Ask ANY JCO who has to work with CoNextions how effective they think it is, compared to the "Resocialization" program it replaced, and you'll find the answers to a lot of what's gone wrong at TJJD.

A truer statement was never made--how would they feel if their home was vandalized, or if they were robbed, or if their kids or family were a victim of one of these kids. The public would be appalled, especially those who are victims of these youth, if they knew all the "ammenities" they receive--it's a joke. It's also unfair that Giddings keeps getting thrown under the bus--yes we have issues, but come on, which facilities are not having issues with assaults, drugs, aggression, etc.? It's not just a Giddings problem--maybe someone needs to check out all the documentation issues at other facilities regarding Incident Reports--what a joke. Numerous issues need to be addressed and not just swept under the rug and focused on one facility.

It's apparent that McKeever had no clue what was going in Finance as TYC/TJJD was being taken to the cleaners from within and without. How that qualified her to be named Deputy Executive Director is a mystery, or better yet, a travesty that could only occur in the corrupt cesspool that is TYC/TJJD. Again, you don't have to know the first thing about juvenile corrections, you just need to be Townsend's friend. The harm they've done to the kids and to the good, decent staff they ran off can never be repaired.

Connections in a nutshell......A point system based on behavior. 0 being the worst, 5 being the best.

Average the scores for the week compare to a mood chart then award priveledges to youth.

Sounds simple? Austin came down told us we were not allowed to give 0s even if they deserved it. We were also not allowed to give 5s even if they deserved it. So what has happened is if a youth acts like animals they get rewards for acting like animals. The youth that are acting good doing what they are suppose to be doing are being punished because they cannot meet the weekly points mandated they have. Thus the good youth start acting bad to get more priviledges.

So the program by design was setup to fail. I think austin knows this, and in the grand scheme of things they simply used it as a smoke screen to make everyone feel better.......

I dare cheri or any body in Austin to work at a stateschool on the floor for 1 month as a jco.

If they are not assaulted, sold, bribed, or threatned to be killed maybe they can tell us if connections work?

Personally the agency needs to be dismantled completly and handed over to the private system. Tyc, tjjd or whatever else they are going to call it in the future is a waste to the taxpayers. These "kids" have a 99 percent chance of going to prison already....

I don't work at Gidding,but I would like to make a comment on the safety of the facility that I do work at.In Corsicana the safety of the students and the staff is at risk each day.The students cut their arms and climb in trees,get on top of roofs and run around the facilty those students are not consequenced for their behavior on top of all of that the students are bribed to stop whatever bad behavior they are displaying.An example of this would be a student is doing self harm(cutting) and they want pizza or some sort of free world food,well the superintendent comes down and says that they can have what they want as long as they stop.Meanwhile the staff has to most of the time physically stop the youth exposing the staff to blood and other fluids,this type of bribing is done on a pretty regular basis.The entire point of a treatment center is to teach the youth how to deal with problems not do self harm to get what they want.Staff also feeds children without getting prior approval to do so,also staff are having inappropriate relationships with the youth and that is most of the time overlooked depending on what and who you knowStudents get on the roof and when they do are told when they get down they can get this or that and this is all lead by upper administration

So we have established that all of the facilities run pretty much the same. No one wants to put the work in but still want to get paid. They put youth and staff in harms way everyday. They feed their negativity rather than correct their behavior. It's a "If you can't beat them, join them." The world is already messed up. Why not screw up another generation before they have a chance to live their own lives? Yes these kids are criminals but a lot of them have a lot of potential to be something better. They just need to know someone out there cares. I've seen too many fake it to make it. Then turn around and come right back. Whether it's a DUI, possession of an illegal substance, or just breaking probation. The youth need to have a positive outlook on life in order to make it after their "rehabilitation." Even though things aren't perfect. It is our job to try and keep those few from slipping through the cracks. I see so much talent locked behind doors and bars. I'm tired of watching so many people who make mistakes be held liable. Then the ones that really need to do the time, walk out, and return in just a few months. I hear about others running and hiding. What are we really doing to help? I understand everyone's complaint about admin. It's every facilities problem. There's too many chiefs and not enough indians. I'm tired of hearing the youth talking about who's sleeping with who because staff is telling them. We are at fault. We are suppose to set the example not be the example.

Here we go again, closing Corsicana isn't enough to satisfy the powers that be. Just six short years ago, the agency spent thousands of dollars tearing out dorms to build offices for the intake department. Now, it seems that the plan is to tear out the offices and replace them with dorms. Then, go to Brownwood and spend thousands of dollars building offices for the intake department that has veteran staff and is operating efficiently. Under NO circumstances will moving the intake department to Brownwood benefit the youth or the state's budget for transporting these youth from a centrally located facility to one that is not central to any of the larger cities that we receive youth from. There is no financial or sound business reason for this decision.

LBB STOP THE MADNESS!!! Every time the top management changes bad business decisions are made. It would be easier to move the intake girls to Mart along with the youth from Corsicana because the Mart facility has the capacity to house/treat the youth. How does ANYONE justify spending STATE MONEY to rehab a facility, hire, train and move people to do the job that is already being done efficiently? LBB have you considered the LOGISTICS of this move? The cost to transport these youth from all over Texas is going to increase due to the extra miles and costs in overtime for the employees doing the transporting. Brownwood doesn't have to have intake moved there to save it from being closed, they are the only facility that provides treatment for the girls. LBB PLEASE RECONSIDER THIS DECISION!

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Grits for Breakfast looks at the Texas criminal justice system, with a little politics and whatever
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